1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing device, a process cartridge, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an agitation support member and an agitating member.
Here, the "electrophotographic image forming apparatus" refers to an apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by the use of the electrophotographic image forming process. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copier, an electrophotographic printer (e.g. a laser printer, an LED printer or the like), a facsimile apparatus and a word processor.
Also, the "process cartridge" refers to charging means, developing means or cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. It also refers to at least one of charging means, developing means and cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, it refers to at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and process means acting on this electrophotographic photosensitive drum are integrally made into a cartridge detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, the operability of the apparatus could be markedly improved. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
Such a process cartridge has a developing device comprising a toner container for containing a toner (developer) therein and a developer container containing developing means therein in order to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the toner container and the developer container being coupled together and made integral with each other. An agitation support member having an agitating member, or an agitating member integrally having an agitating portion and an agitation support portion is provided in the toner container of the developing device so as to be capable of transmitting a drive force, and the toner is carried to the developing means while being agitated by the agitation support member or the agitating member.